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Members of the Detroit Tigers grounds crew roll up the tarp from the infield before the start of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, May 10, 2015 at Comerica Park. Diane Weiss, Detroit Free Press

Jo Bonam from Algonac, MI waves to her family in the stands as the Tigers honored and celebrated mothers day on the field prior to the start of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals, Diane Weiss, Detroit Free Press

Tigers Andrew Romine is out at home plate as Royals catcher Salvador Perez throws to first base for a double play in the 10th inning as the Royals defeated the Tigers 2-1 at Comerica Park, Sunday, May 10 2015. Diane Weiss, Detroit Free Press

Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes returns to the dugout after striking out to end the game in the 10th inning as the Royals defeated the Tigers 2-1 at Comerica Park, Sunday, May 10 2015.(Photo: Diane Weiss, Detroit Free Press)

After 8 1/2 innings on Sunday night, after a one hour, 43-minute rain delay that stretched into this morning, after the home team couldn't capitalize in a two-on, nobody-out situation in the ninth and a bases-loaded, nobody-out situation in the 10th, the Royals stole the series finale of a three-game set between the top two teams in the American League Central, 2-1, in extra innings.

"We lost the game," second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "Sometimes we beat ourselves. Sometimes in baseball, there's situations that you could take advantage of that you don't."

Alex Gordon was hit by an Angel Nesbitt pitch to open the 10th inning, took second base on a wild pitch and scored two batters later on an Omar Infante sacrifice fly to centerfield for the winning run.

Greg Holland then earned the stressful save by allowing a single and three walks.

The final frame went like this: Andrew Romine singled. Anthony Gose walked. Ian Kinsler, attempting to bunt, walked to load the bases. Hernan Perez, who took over at first base after Rajai Davis pinch-ran for Miguel Cabrera the inning earlier, grounded into a third-to-home-to-first double play. Victor Martinez walked. Yoenis Cespedes struck out.

"It's not always the other team outperforming you," Kinsler said. "Sometimes you just don't perform. That's the way the game goes sometimes. We probably should have scored some more runs tonight."

But before Perez had the opportunity to ground into that deflating double play, Kinsler did not have the opportunity to swing the bat, manager Brad Ausmus said.

"We're down a run, it's first and second and if he gets the bunt down, the winning run is now in scoring position," he said.

The game was interrupted by rain at 10:35 p.m., when a downpour washed away Cabrera's ninth-inning at-bat against Luke Hochevar.

After the rain cleared, he faced Royals right-hander Jason Frasor and drew a leadoff walk. He was subbed by Davis, who advanced to second after Martinez singled to leftfield. Cespedes and J.D. Martinez were then retired and Nick Castellanos walked before James McCann flew out to centerfield to end the inning.

Gordon was nicked by a Nesbitt fastball to open the extra inning, which was the first time the Tigers had played beyond regulation this season. Television replays seemed to question whether the pitch actually hit the Royals' leftfielder but after pulling reporters into his office postgame, Ausmus had no qualms about not challenging the play: "There was no phantom hit-by-pitch," he said.

The manager heard it from the dugout, McCann heard it behind the plate and slow-motion video replays after the game validated what was heard.

But Gordon's hit-by-pitch was not the reason the Tigers lost. Neither was Ausmus' decision to pinch-run Davis for Cabrera in the ninth inning: "To me, it's the move you have to make at that point in the game," Ausmus said. Nor was it his decision to take the bat out of Kinsler's hands in the 10th inning.

The Tigers' inability to get a timely hit cost them the game. Once, they had the opportunity to drive in a run while making an out. Twice, they left the bases loaded.

"We scored one run," Kinsler said. "Regardless of that inning or the first inning or the second inning, we had 10 of them to score more than one run and we scored one run."

That run came in the third inning, when Gose reached on an error by Infante, who attempted a behind-the-back toss on a slow roller to first base. Gose advanced to second on the play, and home on Kinsler's single one batter later.

It was the Tigers' only threat against Royals right-hander Chris Young. He allowed one unearned run on three hits over six innings.

Young was matched pitch-for-pitch by Shane Greene, who, long before the loss went final after 1 a.m., returned to form. After three consecutive rocky starts, the Tigers right-hander regained his early-season look with a strong performance.

Greene threw eight innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out three batters and walked none.

After allowing an early run on back-to-back doubles by left-handers Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer in the first inning, Greene settled in to sit down 15 straight from the first to the seventh inning. He recorded 15 groundball outs.

"Getting outs regardless is a good sign, and I haven't been doing that lately, so it was just good to get out there and get some guys out," he said.

With the loss, the Tigers trail the Royals by 1 1/2 games in the AL Central.

"It's been a friendly rivalry," Ausmus said. "And the games are indicative of that. I think they have friendly competition and it might get a little more competitive the deeper they go in the season.

"This is how rivalries start, when you have two teams playing well over a long period of time."

And after a spectacular seven games to start their 19-game slate against each other, they won't meet again for a long time.